Tonal Words

apprehensive

anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen

bantering (tone)

tease jokingly/playfully

benevolent

kindly, charitable

biting

harsh or cruel (as in wit and temperament)

bitter

exhibiting strong animosity as a result of pain or grief

candid

honest, sincere, impartial

clinical

extremely objective and realistic; dispassionately analytic; unemotionally critical

colloquial

characteristic of ordinary conversation rather than formal speech or writing

diffident

shy, lacking self-confidence; modest, reserved

disdainful

showing contempt or lack of respect

disgusted

a sick feeling of strong dislike

dramatic

sensational in appearance or thrilling in effect

ecstatic

feeling or expressing overwhelming happiness or joyful excitement

effusive

overflowing with words or feelings; gushing (enthusiasm)

elegaic

mourning that which is lost or past; sorrowful

facetious

humorous, not meant seriously

factual

based on facts

flippant

lacking in seriousness; disrespectful, saucy

hopeful

optimistic

impartial

unbiased; neutral

incisive

Sharply cutting; direct and powerful

indigant

filled with resentment or anger over something unjust, unworthy, or mean

inflammatory

causing excitement or anger; leading to violence or disorder

informative

providing useful or interesting information

insipid

lacking flavor; dull; not at all stimulating

insolent

showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect

ironic

satiric; unexpected

irreverent

showing a lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously

learned

having much knowledge; scholarly; erudite

lugubrious

mournful; gloomy

mock-heroic

imitating the style of heroic literature in order to satirize an unheroic subject

mocking

expressing contempt or ridicule

mock-serious

characterized by feigned or deliberately artificial seriousness, often for satirical purposes

moralistic

characterized by a narrow and conventional moral attitude

mournful

expressing sorrow

nostalgic

longing for the past

objective

unbiased; not subjective

patronizing

treating with condescension; acting superior

pedantic

tending to show off one's learning

petty

unimportant, trivial; narrow-minded; secondary in rank, minor

pretentious

striving to make a big impression; claiming merit or position unjustifiably; making demands on one's skill or abilities, ambitious

respectful

full of, characterized by, or showing politeness or deference

restrained

controlled, restricted

sardonic

cynical; scornfully mocking

scholarly

describes a tone that is academic, learned, and studious

scornful

expressing extreme contempt

sentimental

prompted by feelings of tenderness, sadness, or nostalgia.

solemn

serious; grave

somber

dark, gloomy; depressed or melancholy in spirit

sympathetic

compassionate

taunting

sarcastically challenging or insulting

threatening

having a hostile or deliberately frightening quality or manner

turgid

swollen, bloated, filled to excess; overdecorated or excessive in language

urbane

refined in manner or style; sophisticated

urgent

requiring immediate action or attention

worshipful

showing adoration; showing great reverence

whimsical

unpredictable

terse

brief and to the point

sanguine

optimistic in a bad situation

ribald

offensive in speech or gesture

reticent

not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily

rapt

completely fascinated by what one is seeing or hearing

pragmatic

dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations

poignant

evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret

pensive

engaged in deep or serious thought

patronising

treat with an apparent kindness which betrays a feeling of superiority

morose

having a gloomy or sullen manner; not friendly or sociable

laudatory

expressing praise and commendation

jovial

cheerful and friendly

introspective

examining one's own thoughts, feelings, and sensations

fervent

having or displaying a passionate intensity

ambiguous

unclear or doubtful in meaning

fatalistic

believing that all events in life are inevitable and determined by fate; resigning to fate

evasive

deliberately vague or ambiguous

derisive

expressing contempt or ridicule

deferential

showing respect

curt

rudely brief or abrupt

conciliatory

overcoming distrust or hostility

bemused

confused, bewildered, puzzled

acerbic

biting, bitter in tone or taste

vapid

offering nothing that is stimulating or challenging; dull